Spark-plug-coil unit



R. H. WHISLER. SPARK PLUG COIL UNIT. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8. 1919.

1,395,375. Pate nted Nov. 1, 1921; 4

I irwggim: l by 1% ya.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ma n. wn rsnna, or DETROIT, moment, Ass'ren'on TO nssnx morons, or

. DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION or MICHIGAN.

SPARK-PLUG-COIL UNIT.

4 To all whom it may concern:

reference being had therein to .the accompanying drawings.

The present invention has for its object an improved spark plug coil for changing an ordinary high tension ignition system into an improved'system of the type which may be conveniently termed a high-frequency, high-voltage system. Such a system is shown and described in my application for Letters Patent of the United States filed May 31, 1919, Serial No. 301,071. This latter system will fire spark plugs that have been so fouled with carbon or oil as to b entirely inoperative with the ordinary ignition system. The invention described herein is embodied in a single unit to be interposed between the feed wire'of a high tension ignition system of ordinary construction and a spark plug. It is provided with a terminal to which. the ordinary hi h tension ignition wire leading to the'spar plug may be transferred and thereby, and without any other change in the system, to convert the system into a high-frequency high voltage system.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof will be pointed out and-clearly defined in the claim 'at the close of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a unit embodying my invention and applied to a spark plug of ordinary construction.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the unit with the cover 20 removed.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the spark gap- Supporting member from the point of view indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4. is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a wiring plan of the unit.

Referring now to the drawings, at 11 is shown a spark plug on whichis mounted the unit embodying my invention. This unit comprises the disruptive discharge coil having two windings 12 and 13, grounded to a metallic base 14, which is combined with a Specification of Letters Patent.

I J Application filed October 8, 1919. Serial No. 329,227.

body 15 composed of bakelite, or other suitable insulating material. The upper part of the member 15 contains a condenser 16 grounded to the base 14 by a metal strip 17 and connected by a wire 18 to a binding post 19 embedded in the spark gap supporting member 21. This spark gap supporting member 21 is made of bakelite, or the like, and has an upwardly projecting shield a surrounding the binding post 19. A cover 20 also of bakelite, or the'like, is placed over the spark gap supporting member 21 and is secured in place by a nut 22 on the binding post 19. The binding post 19'is surrounded by a brass sleeve 23 which rests on a radial member 24 on which is located one point 25 of the first spark gap. The other point 26 is formed by the head of a small bolt 27 adjustably secured by a nut to a semi-circular arm 28 secured by screws 29 tothe spark gap supporting member 21. The other end of the semi-circular member 28 carries one point 30 of the second spark gap. The other point 32 of this second spark gap is carried on the free end of a curved support 33 which is ofi'set, as shown at b, and is secured by screws 34 and 35 to the spark gap supporting member. The point 30 is formed by-the head of a bolt 31 adjustably held in place by a nut to the curved support 33. The

wire 36 by means of which the spark gap is connected with the primary winding 12 of the disruptive discharge coil.

The two spark gaps formed by the pairs of. points 25-26 and 30-32 are adjusted to have different widths of gaps, the wider of said gaps serving to determine the voltage of the discharge, and the narrower of said gaps serving to vary the number of secondary sparks produced at the points on the spark plug.

The hereinbefore described unit has two important advantages over any heretofore constructed in addition to other advantages.

The transformation ofenergy from ordinary high voltage to high frequency and higher voltage is made at the plug, eliminating the heavy losses sustained 1n transporting it. This makes it the most efiiclent form. Furthermore, any ordinary ignition system can be immediately made into a highfrequency system bymerely attachlng these units to the spark plugs and fastening the corresponding high tension wires to the rescrew 34 serves as a binding post for the spective units. This makes it possible to convert existing systems or restore them to their original form without making any structural changes whatsoever.

What I claim is,

A unit adapted to be secured to a spark plug and comprising a body within which is a chamber containing a central binding post' through which current enters, a radial member electrically connected to said binding post and carrying one point of the first spark gap, a semi-circular member carrying at one end the second point of said first spark gap and at the other end the first point of a second spark gap, another mem- I ber carrying a second point of said second spark gap and electrically connected, to the" primary winding of a disruptive discharge coil, said spark gap points and their supporting members being-supported by insulating material forming a part of the body of said unit.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

; RALPH H. WHISLER. 

